Road to the Legion
by Jester Fraser
Summary: Ch. 8 in. Just another thing I thought of. Yes another history of Rick story. PlZ review. RttL is about how Rick got to the Legion and the friends and foes he made along the way. I may do a prequel to this
1. What has life to offer now?

****

Road to the Legion

Disclaimer: No, I don't own the movies, but wouldn't it be cool if I did? Or you? That's be awesome, one of us own the movie. *Thinks of dinner with Jude Law, Sadie Frost, Brendan Fraser, and Afton Smith…*

Okay on with something I just came up with, dun worries for those awaiting the Earth Protectors to be completed, I just waiting for something…

---begin story and chapter 1---

"What has life to offer me now, Sir?" Rick O'Connell asked the Major. (AN I was watching Enemy at the Gates when I came up with this.) The Major looked up at the boy/man standing in front of his desk at attention. Rick O'Connell, the orphanage's most troublesome troublemaker. The Major sighed and took off his glasses.

"O'Connell, I wasn't expecting to see you here for awhile, especially after the Dinner Incident. That was two days ago. What did you do today, on you birthday?" The Major said, his voice had a Russian accent. (AN remember I was watching Enemy at the Gates so Russians are here!)

"I was just asking a mere question, Sir. I'm tired of this place. I want to leave, I-"

"And I want you to behave for once during your life here!" The Major shouted. "But not once has that happened unless you sleep, and when I say sleep I don't mean with a girl! I already know what you want. But you will not leave, not until you are twenty."

"But I'm 18! I am no child! I want to leave, and besides, the rules of the Orphanage clearly state that once a child has reached the age of 18 he or she may leave, or stay for more education until they are twenty then leave. I want to leave! I don't want to stay in this helli-"

"QUIET! I know you want to leave, but where would you go? There is no where to go for an uneducated man! You skipped all the class that this orphanage provided for the children from grade 9 to Graduation! You would be a fool to leave here. Now I'm making you an offer that you shouldn't refuse. Stay here, O'Connell, get an education within two years. Go to college then go out in the world and be somebody! Somebody important and true! Not a low life third class man. You'll have to work twice as hard and four times as fast than the other students, but think about it. It's certainly be worth it!"

"I don't want to be some boring, formal businessman! I want to have adventure and fun!"

The Major sighed again, never before in his life had he wanted to so badly be back in Russia, where he could be better than he was. He wanted O'Connell to have more than he had. He loved O'Connell like his own son. "Tell me, O'Connell, where would you go?"

"Well, I've been learning French from that French man Terrence. I thought I'd go to France, and live there for a while and -"

"FRANCE?! DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THAT JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW THEIR LANGUAGE THAT YOU CAN JUST GO OVER THERE AND BE ONE OF THE FRENCH?! DO YOU HONESTLY THINK YOU CAN EVEN GET THAT FAR?! O'CONNELL WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!"

"I'm thinking of having a life! A LIFE!" O'Connell shouted. "Some fun and adventure! Not taking care of the brats here!"

The Major looked at him sternly than said in almost a whisper, "You don't know what is going to happen, O'Connell. For all you know you may resort to the life of a criminal on the streets!" The Major's voice got a bit louder as he spoke that and now he was near yelling. "Do you know what they do criminals that are caught? Do you know where they send them?!" Rick remained silent, and the Major stood up. "To the Ra-damned French Foreign fucking Legion! The Legion is sent to wastelands, deserts like the one here! They are sent to their deaths!"

Rick spoke silently but was still audible, "If I did get put in the Legion, I'd just put back here in the fucking desert. I don't want to be put back where I came from, I'll be sure to stay clear from those places."

The Major sighed (again) and sat back down, then in the same level of volume he said, "You may stay clear of those places but you can't stay clear of the people who'll send you there. Anyone can turn in a criminal and all the criminals are sent there, or jail which ever they choose.The Legion doesn't have to send out soldiers to recruit men, they leave it to the citizens and the accused choice. Many criminals go there hoping for a chance to escape, but the Legion's officers are strict and meticulous. They pay attention to every detail. They can practically read your fucking mind! I will not sign the papers to release you, I refuse." Then Rick put his release papers on the desk, The Major looked at them, and a tiny smile etched his lips. There was no stopping O'Connell. O'Connell had forged the Major's signature to every last detail. Then Rick picked them up and stood in the doorway long enough to say,

"Good Bye Major. Take care of yourself." Then he left. The Major looked up at the now empty doorway.

"I should be saying that to you O'Connell. Take care of yourself."

---End chapter---

Okay I know what you're thinking, "What the f*uck is the point of this? I'm lost here…"

To let you know this just sprang into my head. I'm writing this just for another thing I thought may have happened in Rick's past. This is not any way related to the plot line of my story Rick's Past.

PlZ review

Jester


	2. Plotting to runaway by two soontobe runa...

****

Road to the Legion

Sorry, for not updating for long time, I was having to write other stories that were in demand for more chapters…the way I'm going I may flunk out of high school I spend so much time writing, trying to keep you ppl happy…

--Begin Chapter--

Rick O'Connell stepped out side from the Major's barrack and walked down the path to the Boys' dorms of the orphanage. At the door he met his best friend, Vassilij, who was also the Major's nephew. Vassilij was 5'11". He had dark brown hair that was unintentionally spiky, and blue eyes. He wore clothes like a soldier, only more casual. 

"Hey, O'Connell, how'd it go?" he asked. O'Connell scowled a bit.

"Not well, he totally disapproved of letting me go. But I'll still go," Rick said walking up the stairs and into their dorm. Vassilij sat on the edge of his bed as Rick washed his face.

"Well, my uncle isn't the easiest person to talk to," Vassilij said, reading a book about Russia. Rick finished cleaning his face then flopped on his bed.

"You're uncle is impossible to talk to!"

"Yeah, I guess so," Vassilij said smiling a bit. "But you're still going to go?"

"Yep."

"What about me?"

"You're coming too. If y'want."

"I do want to go with you , and get out of here." Vassilij closed his book and tossed on his nightstand. He walked over to the sink and started to wash his face.

"I don't know if you'd like to go where I'm going…"

Vassilij, splashed water on his face to wash off the soap, and patted his face with a towel, "Oh? And why wouldn't I?"

"Because I'm going to France. I thought you wanted to go and live in Russia, away from your uncle and Egypt."

"Well, France is just as good. Besides they have a democracy don't they? They don't have a monarchy anymore right?"

"I don't know, it's not like I would know."

"Yes, well, besides, Russia isn't all on sturdy ground right now. I mean it's fucking 1917, why wouldn't that country be on sturdy ground? I hear in the news that Russia's people are revolting against the Czar, and they aren't in all too good conditions, after all, they weren't prepared for the war from what I hear."

Rick nodded and turned on his side, closing his eyes.

"Why are sleeping so early, Birthday Boy?"

"Because, if I'm going to escape, I'll do it tonight. Besides, it's 7:30, I think it's a bit late to sleep."

"Well, yes, but it's early compared to the times you've gone to sleep before. I just got done with a game of Rugby, so I'm sleeping too. Though we're going to miss dinner."

"Yes, so? We've missed dinner plenty of times before. They won't think of looking here. Besides, we can go with out a meal tonight. We'll just pack a bit of food, when we get up. Do me a favor."

"What?"

"Set the alarm clock to 1:00 AM, not even the Major stays up that late."

Vassilij reached over and grabbed the clock on the nightstand between their beds, "1:00 AM? I'm not sure if we can get up early enough for that."

"You might not, but I will."

Vassilij set the clock on back on the table then was about to take off his shoes when Rick saw him, "What are you doing?"

"Taking off my shoes, then I'm going to take off my socks, I usually do that before I go to bed," he said untying his left shoe.

"Well don't! If you want to get out of here sooner, and quicker, sleep with your shoes on, it'll take too long to get re-dressed!"

"Oh, I guess you're right," Vassilij said and re-tied his shoe, and just laid on the bed. Then they both fell asleep within a half hour. 

~~~At dinner~~~

Sister Vernon looked at the six long tables in the Cavern Room of the Orphanage/Abbey. She checked at the children's table both boys and girls. Then the adolescent's table, both boys and girls, and saw that two teens were missing. The other two tables were for the Sisters, Brothers, Cooks and adults that worked at the Orphanage. The place was really called St. Peter's Abbey it was established near Cairo in the year 1705 when Catholic Missionaries from Napoleon's army came to Egypt. 

Sister Vernon went over to where Abbott Daniel sat, the Major on his right, and Mother Brenda on his left, "Father Abbott. Vassilij Zaitzler and Richard O'Connell are not here for dinner." 

The Abbott looked at the Adolescent's table, "Quite so. I presume you do not know where they are, Sister Vernon?"

"I do not know, Father."

"Hmm, Nikolai, do you know where your nephew and Richard are?"

"I don't know where my nephew is exactly, Father. But I dare to guess," the Major said. "Shall I go look for him?"

The Father shook his head, "Oh, no need. We'll just call for him. They couldn't have gotten out of the gates. Our sentries would have reported it. I'll send out Brother Shin to ask the sentries if they've seen the two friends."

"No, Father, I'll go," The Major made as if to leave but then stopped, as though he just remembered something. He faced the Abbott, "Father, I just remembered. I gave O'Connell, and my nephew permission to act as sentries during dinner."

"What an absurd thing to do, Nikolai! Why would you allow your nephew and Richard to serve as sentries during the very dinner that is held in special honor for Richard's birthday?" the Abbott asked, putting on a stern face on his old head. The Major shrugged.

"He really wanted to do this, so I thought I'd let him for his birthday. I forgot we were holding a surprise feast in honor of his eighteenth birthday. I'm sorry Father."

The Abbott smiled through his long white beard, and he cleaned his spectacles. "Oh, what a nice thing to do as a gift for the birthday boy. I can't stand to stay mad at you for doing such a thing. I guess we'll take our feast in the lawn."

"No, no, Father, I think that he'd be very embarrassed if we did such. I'll just go give them some food from the feast. Yes I'll do just that."

The Abbott looked a bit disappointed, it was such a nice evening outside, "Well, alright. I guess so. But at least tell them that a feast is waiting for them, I at least want them to think it over before missing out."

"I will, Father," the Major said and walked off to the dormitories to get a bag.

--End Chapter--

Okay, plZ review! PlZ plZ plZ plZ!!!

Jester


	3. Escape From the Abbey

****

Road to the Legion

--Begin Chapter--

The Major walked past O'Connell's and Vassilij's dorm room. He opened the door slowly and saw the two friends asleep in their beds, lightly snoring. The Major let a tiny smile of pride form on his lips. "The little sneaks. I can't believe I'm doing this for you two troublemakers. Especially after all the trouble you gave me. It was still nice to raise you two."

The Major chuckled lightly and quietly closed the door, and walked down to his dorm. He got six bags and walked to the kitchens. He took the longer way through Great Hall instead of going through Cavern Room to the kitchens so the Abbott wouldn't see how many bags he carried. Upon arriving in the kitchens he started to fill the bags. He put some pies in a box and put it in the bag. And some grayling, chicken, apples, pears, bananas, scones, in different boxes and put them in the bags. He filled up two bags. Then he used one for deserts, more pies, candied chestnuts, nuts, roseleaves, honey. Then he used the other three for storing extra food for snacks, and tea time, scones, turnovers, pancakes, and used them to store drinks. Bottles of water, cordial, and what not for their journey. He was about to leave when Friar Bernard saw him.

"Uh, would ye like some help to carry those bags, ye food pincher?" He asked in a Irish/Scottish accent mix. The chubby friar walked over to him, shaking a ladle at him, as if he were a naughty child. "What are ye doing with so many bags full of food, Major?"

The Major just remained calm, straightening up he said in a clear voice, "My nephew and O'Connell are out on the ramparts doing sentry duty. Father Abbott told me to take some of the feast up to them. So that's just what I am doing. And I do not need your help. I can certainly manage, though thank you for the offer."

The Friar nodded, "oh, my apologies to ye sir."

"It's alright, your just doing your job, Friar Bernard. After all, you worked so hard to cook this meal with your helpers that it shouldn't be stolen from you. Well, I must go now. See you later."

"Fare well, Major," the Friar said as he walked back to the feast and the Major walked towards the dorms. The Friar didn't even notice that the Major was going the wrong way.

~~~~Later that night~~~~

The alarm clock rang right in front Rick's face at exactly 1:00 AM in the morning. Rick's eyes shot open and he slammed the alarm clock quiet. He stretched and sat up, he reached over and shook the quarter-awake Vassilij. "Vassilij, Vassilij."

Rick got up and kicked Vassilij's foot, "C'mon, get up!"

"Huh? What?" Vassilij said groggily as he looked at Rick, as he rubbed sleep from his eyes.

"It's time, we have to go get some food."

"Oh, yeah, right," Vassilij said as he forced himself up. He then tripped over something, "Ouch! That cot's metal is hard!"

Vassilij rubbed his shoulder. Rick looked at what Vassilij tripped over, and smiled. There were six packs on the ground a twixt their beds and there was a note on it. The note read:

'O'Connell, and Vassilij,

I know how much you two want out of here. So I'm cutting you a break. I'll let you go. I've decided to save you the trouble of having to pack food. It'd take too long. So when you're done reading this, hurry up and leave. Go by the north wall gate, the sentries aren't over there often enough, because it's near the stream. But be careful, there have been croc sightings. Good luck, and Good fortune be with you. Bless your little hearts.

Sincerely,

Maj. Nikolai Zaitzler

PS Be careful you two.'

"Well, it looks like the Major is letting us go after all," O'Connell said. Vassilij looked over his shoulder at the letter.

"What?" Vassilij asked, he was confused a little bit.

"I said, the Major is letting us go after all. He packed us six packs of food, and drinks. C'mon, he told us just where to go," Rick said, taking three bags. Vassilij jumped up and took the other three.

"Are you sure we can trust him? I mean he told us where to go to escape, why would he do that if he weren't going to trick us?"

"Why would he pack six bags of food if he were going to trick us?"

"I-I dunno," Vassilij said shrugging.

"Exactly, you don't know. We just have to trust him, after he is your uncle."

Vassilij nodded, and they snuck out of the room, not taking any valuables, so they wouldn't be overloaded with stuff they didn't need. The quietly walked down two flights of steps, and quietly made their way through Great Hall, past the tapestries depicting bible stories. Rick took time to take on last look at Joseph, the Hebrew that was sold into slavery by his own brothers. Betrayed by family, made to a slave, thrown to the pit and prison, then rose to be the second most powerful man in all Egypt, only Pharaoh being greater than him. It was his favorite story. He felt like that was his life, at least the "betrayed by family" part. Not wanting to get into the past he barely knew, and the parents that betrayed him, he walked quietly on, Vassilij just behind. Though Vassilij took time to look at the story of David and Jonathan. Vassilij thought himself like Jonathan, and he thought Rick like David. He felt like he was Jonathan because he had more than the other children at the orphanage, and he was the son, of the sister of the Czar of Russia (AN I don't know if Nicholas II really had a sister, but work with me here plZ?) and was a bit more privileged. He though Rick like David because Rick was the youngest of a family that consisted of quite a few people, and he was somewhat blessed, though he was like Joseph in a way, betrayed by his family. And the two were best friends. Vassilij had spent a bit too much time staring at his favorite bible story, so he ran to catch up with Rick. Rick turned to him, "SSHH!!"

Vassilij, stopped, and nodded. They advanced slowly past the kitchens where Friar Bernard was sleeping on some potatoes sacks, his fat belly rising and falling as he snored, his favorite ladle in hand. The silently pressed onward, when they heard footsteps, they hid in the dark corner of Great Hall, near the door. Then they saw a lamp light, and down the stairs from the Abbott's room came the Abbott. He walked by talking silently to himself, "Oh, I hope I can manage to pinch a few apple turnovers before Bernard wakes up. If he caught me, I'd be in deep trouble. Hmm?"

The Abbott turned to a noise he heard, he turned towards Vassilij and Rick, the two scooted back more, luckily the Abbott was a bit superstitious and the lantern did not provide much light, the Abbott, immediately walked back to the stairs, "Oh dear, I knew it was a bad idea to try and pinch a few turnovers. I'd still get some sort of punishment. Oh dear, oh dear…"

His voice faded as he walked back up the stairs. They couldn't hear nor see his light, they waited a moment in complete silence, then they sighed inwardly, and silently walked to the door. Rick took out some vegetable oil he had taken earlier that day, and rubbed it on the hinges, he nodded to Vassilij, and Vassilij gently pulled open the old door…not a sound. Rick hurriedly went through the door, and Vassilij then went after him, and he silently closed the huge oak door. They jogged out across the lawn to the north wall gate. They stayed close to the wall, and listened a bit for sentries. There were some right above them!

"It's a rather chilly night out, eh John?" One of the sentries said, in a British accent.

"Yes, it is. But I bet that stream there has something to do with it. No one would come in from there, there's crocs in there stream. Let's go to the East wall, it's probably warmer there, Will," the other said in an Irish accent. Vassilij and Rick heard the sentries footsteps on the wooden ramparts go to the East wall. Rick nodded and Vassilij grabbed the handle, and waited as Rick applied the vegetable oil. Rick nodded again and Vassilij opened the door…_creeeeeeeeek!_ It made a sound! It creaked, not only the rusty hinges, but the wood on the door too. The door hadn't been open in years. The two boys ran out and slammed the door shut, as Sentries ran over.

"Hey! You there! Stop!" John yelled. 

The boys laughed, and Rick shouted, "Which one? Me? Or the one next to me?"

The Sentries got out their rifles, and Will yelled, "Stop! Come back or we shoot!"

John fired a warning shot that barely missed Vassilij's leg. Vassilij jumped the other way, he looked back at the hole in the ground then looked at Rick, "Hey! They're serious!"

Rick smirked, "Don't worry, if they shoot us the Abbott will be on their backs for months! But don't turn back now! We're too far! I can almost see France!"

"I wasn't thinking of turning back!" Vassilij said, and he ran ahead of Rick. Rick smirked.

"Yeah that's the spirit!" He said and ran up to catch up with his friend.

~~~at the Abbey~~~

The Abbott, and half the Abbey, including the Major ran out in their Pajamas to see what the shot was about. They ran all the way to the north wall and went up on the ramparts. The Abbott, sat down on a pile of rope, panting, "What…is…all the….shooting…about?"

John looked down, "Sorry to have woken the Abbey, Father. We were just trying to get two runaways to come back."

"And you fired at them?!" The Abbott yelled. "What an awful thing to do! You could have killed one of them!"

The Major patted his back, "Calm down, Father. At your age you shouldn't be running half way across the lawn, much less scolding a Sentry."

"oh, my apologies. Did you at least see their faces?" The Abbott asked, a little bit more relaxed.

"No, sorry Father."

"Oh, dear. Mother Brenda, get everyone up, we're checking who they were now!" 

Sister Brenda nodded and went off to get those who were still sleep up.

---End Chapter---

Okay. Done with this chapter. I hope you all like. And please review! It'd be much appreciated. Now it's time I review YOUR story, Queen Brunette!

Jester


	4. There's a bomb on the Ship!

****

Road to the Legion

---Begin Chapter---

Brenda gathered everyone in Great Hall. They grouped up according to what table they sat at. Instinct told her to check the boys' adolescent table first. She lined them up and counted them off, saying their name then she found O'Connell and Zaitzler were not here. She growled a bit, and reported to the Abbott, "I knew it would have been those two."

"Who, Brenda?" the Abbott asked.

"Richard O'Connell and his partner in crime, Vassilij Zaitzler."

"Oh, I should knew this day would come," the Abbott said shaking his head sadly. "Those two rascals put more gray hairs on my head than you did as a young 'un, Major. I knew those two would leave one day. I never thought it would be today. However, this will not put us away from retrieving them. We should-"

"Father Abbott," the Major said loudly. The Abbott looked at him.

"Yes, Nikolai?"

"Don't go after them. Those two have spirits like hawks. They have to be free. They can't stay here all the time, besides they are old enough to leave. After all, it's 2:00 Am, it's past O'Connell's birthday and today, Vassilij turned eighteen as well. They should just go."

"Nikolai, I have a feeling you were apart of this. I think you already had this talk with O'Connell and your nephew. Yes, you have. You told them to stay didn't you? But you also realized that they can't be kept here." The Major nodded, and the Abbott smiled. "A wise choice you made, Nikolai, to let them go. You did this once too. And even I did. Perhaps they will be alright. But I am sending you to look after them. To be their guardian angel."

"But Father, I'm a little too out of shape to do such a thing," The Major protested. "Don't get me wrong, Father, if I were more fit to do that, I most defiantly would. But I'm not exactly young anymore."

"Neither am I, Nikolai. So then we should send another."

"No, Father," Brenda said. The Abbott was surprised, usually Brenda would be the one to have someone to go get them or she would go, but here she did not approve of guarding them at all. 

"Why not, Brenda?" The Abbott asked.

"Because, they would know. They're expecting it, I'm willing to bet. We're just going to have to trust them on this. This will be their greatest adventure yet. We don't always have to protect them, but they know that we're here for them. Let them do what they have to. This will make them grow-up."

The Abbott nodded in agreement, "A fine point you make, Brenda. Then it will be so. We will just trust them in taking care of themselves. Besides, even I must admit that they are born survivors. Now with that done, let us go back to our beds, and get some sleep."

Everyone but the Abbott and the Major left Great Hall. The Major stared up at the tapestries of the stories of Joseph and David. He turned to the Abbott and said, "Father, this is not done. It is just beginning."

  
"Yes, for them. But for us, my friend, our journey will be at an end soon. I fear we may not see them succeed with our age. But I know that their adventure will be on no one in this Abbey will forget."

"Yes, your right father," The Major said as he looked at the tapestries again for a few moments then he sighed and turned off to his room, "Good night, Father."

"Good Night, Nikolai," Abbott said tiredly. The Major then went to his own room, but the Abbott stayed in Great Hall and looked at another tapestry, telling a fairy tale of two runaways and the elders that cared for them, seeing the eldest lying and coughing, he himself coughed a bit. The Abbott was a very old man, in his nineties, and he knew his time would come near. Straightening up he took one last look at the tapestry and then walked to his room, saying, "Good-bye Major Nikolai Zaitzler, and good bye and good blessings, Richard O'Connell, and Vassilij Zaitzler. I will miss you all."

That night as the Abbott lay in his bed, struggling for breath and wheezing, he closed his eyes and calmed down, his body still, and his spirit flying to heaven.

~~~Where O'Connell and Vassilij are~~~

The two friends had ran for twenty minutes towards Cairo's lights. They slowed down to rest, and sat down. Both breathing heavily and taking long gulps of their water. Vassilij wiped his brow and looked at Cairo City that was only a ten minute walk away. He took another gulp of water and turned to O'Connell who was taking little sips of his water, "we aren't turning back now, right?"

O'Connell shook his head, "No, we're too close to freedom now. I can see Giza Port already."

"O'Connell, there is a problem though," Vassilij said putting his water away. O'Connell looked at him quizzically.

"What problem?"

"Uncle Nikolai gave us food, and drinks, but no money."

O'Connell smirked, "What do we need money for?"

"To get a ticket to get on the ship. Then to buy food, and then to buy new clothes, and stuff."

"Why buy, when you can steal?"

"O'Connell! What if we're caught?"

"That's why God made night, Vass. Besides, we can sneak on the ship, it's no problem!"

Vassilij pondered on this a moment then nodded, "you're right. I don't know why I was worried."

"It's just all that teachings and lessons starting to kick in from the Abbey. I am going to miss the Abbott though. He was a good man."

"Yes, and I'll miss my uncle. But we have nothing to loose now."

"Once you got nothing to loose, then you get to do everything you ever wanted."

Vassilij smiled and nodded. They got up and walked on into Cairo. "I wonder what kind of girls are in France."

"Good-looking ones, Vass, real good-looking ones," O'Connell said smirking. 

Upon entering the city limits they went straight to the Giza Port. Sneaking around they looked for big, opened crates. They found two that were unused. They pushed them onto the loading space and got in one each. The chipped off holes for breathing and closed the crates as best they could. They waited then slept.

They were both woken up by people yelling in Arabic and English. Then they felt the crates being lifted up and into the ship. Vassilij peered out his breathing hole and saw on the huge ship liner painted in white the title _S.S. Anne Marie_. He looked down at the docks and saw men and women dressed regally like they were wealthy and peasants begging for money or food that the English ignored. The crates they were in passed the third-class loading, he saw a young girl of about four going on. She looked his way and saw his eyes. She tugged at her mum's coat, "Mommy, there's a man in the crate."

Her mother picked her up, "No there isn't honey."

"But I saw him!"

"Now, you were just seeing things child."

Then in a few minutes they felt the bump of being near dropped in the ship's storage. Vassilij looked out his hole in the crate, he was facing the inside of the ship, he moved to the left side of the crate, "Rick! Rick!" 

"What?" Rick whispered back.

"Can you see out side?" Vassilij whispered, a bit loudly but still a whisper. 

"Yes," Rick said looking out of the hole in his crate. "They're almost done loading, hmm.."

Rick strained to hear what the men were saying. But they were talking in Arabic, "hey, Vass, can you understand Arabic?"

"A little, why?"

"What are the Arabs saying?"

"They're saying that there are only two crates left, and that-oh shit!"

"What?! What?!"

"There's a bomb in one of them! Let's get outta here! We gotta warn the Captain!" Vassilij started to pound at the crates side. Rick did too. It took them ten minutes to break out of the crates, they ran out of the storage to the door that led to the boiler room just as the Arabs put in the first crate. One Arab came up to the one loading saying in Arabic that the one with the bomb was the last one, and that the English would not go unpunished for invading their land. (no offence to Muslims or Arabs.)

~~~Where Rick and Vassilij are~~~

The two ran past many passengers on the third class part near the bottom of the ship, pushing people out of the way yelling, "Get out of here! There's a bomb in the ship!"

This started an uproar by some people and other people thought those two were kids playing a nasty joke on them. The two boys made to the Second class cabins and ran past security up towards the deck. In less than seven minutes they made it to the deck. They looked around, they were at the bow of the ship, they found some stairs leading to the room with the tiller (or whatever the little steering wheel of ships are called.). They ran into the Captains room gasping and saying at the same time, "There's a bomb on the ship! There's a bomb on the ship!"

The Captain settled them down, giving them water, "Calm down, boys, calm down. Now what are you saying, one a time now."

Rick spoke first, "Some Arab terrorist have put a bomb in a crate that's being loaded now!"

Vassilij then said, "The Arab said that it was to go off when you reached the Atlantic, away from land. I heard, so I did, sir!"

"really?" The Captain said, snapping his fingers, a security guy came to him. "Go check the Crates on the ship, in Storage, I don't want to chance this. I want the whole ship checked for bombs and other weapons. Check every Arab on board. Now, go, go, go, go , go!"

The two boys rested in their chairs as the Captain questioned them, "How do you know of this?"

"Well, sir," Vassilij started, "we snuck on the ship in a crate to get a ride to France. Then Rick heard Arabs talking. And he asked me what they was saying, I told 'im that they were saying that there were two more crates coming, and one 'ad a bomb in it. The Arab later said that the bomb would go off when the ship reached the Atlantic."

The Captain looked at them both, looking for signs of lies and tricks, but it was all real, "I believe you. But the fact you snuck on can cost you."

Then one of the officers came to the captain, "Sir, we found two bombs, one was in a crate the other was attached to an Arab."

"Thank you," The Captain said. He stood up and said to the two boys, "For saving us, I will let you ride for free. But for sneaking on, you will have to work as guards. There is an important family here. Yes, a very rich English family called the Rowans. Their daughter is about your age, and they want her to have a body guard. If you two would pose as her body guards, it will make up for sneaking on."

"Er, but shouldn't we be forgiven for sneaking on? After all, we did save the ship, and people on it. Besides, we're getting off at France," Rick said. The Captain nodded.

"yes, but it would help us. And we aren't really stopping at France, so if you do this, we'll stop long enough to let you off, and you'll have fresh supplies of food and some money. What do you think?"

"I think, Comrade Captain has been over-generous," Vassilij said. The Captain chuckled.

"Nonsense, you two saved hundreds of lives, and your working, it's the least we can do!" 

"Thank you, sir," they said at the same time. The Captain shook his head.

"Nay, thank you two. And please, call me Daniel!" 

~~~End Chapter~~~

Jester: Well, I hope you will all review! PlZ!! It'd be much appreciated!

Jester

Plz plZ plZ plZ plZ review!


	5. The Two Bodyguards!

****

Road to the Legion

~~~Begin Chapter~~~

O'Connell and Vassilij were escorted by one of the ship's attendants to the Rowans' room. The attendant knocked on the door and a man about in his early forties, with short light brown hair and blue eyes answered taking a puff from his pipe. He looked at the two boys and the attendant through narrowed eyes saying in an English/Scottish accent, "Yes? What is it?"

The attendant half bowed saying, "Mr. Rowan, these two young gentlemen have volunteered to serve as your daughter's bodyguards."

Mr. Rowan looked at the two best friends, surveying them, noting every detail of them as he could. He scowled a bit and took his pipe from his mouth and blowing out smoke he said, "Do you think they can be trusted? They look like common street criminals to me. One looks like a Communist and the other an American. Do you think they can be trusted?"

Vassilij and O'Connell clenched their fists to keep from hurting Mr. Rowan for his insult. The attendant nodded saying, "They most certainly can, sir. They warned us of a bomb on the ship. They have approval from the Captain even, sir."

"Hm, approval from the captain, eh? Well, I'd like to see the captain to make sure," Mr. Rowan said.

"Daddy, stop," A female voice said. Mr. Rowan and the other three's attention turned to a tall slender beautiful woman walking up. She was dressed in an Egyptian type dress, black mind you. She had dark brown hair, and green eyes. She was very beautiful. O'Connell, Vassilij, and the attendant's mouths were agape at her beauty. Mr. Rowan smiled.

"Ah, Nicole," Mr. Rowan said putting the pipe back in his mouth. "I was just talking to these three fine young gentlemen."

"yeah, and it didn't seem to be going anywhere," Nicole said, leaning on the wall. "You don't need to see the Captain, I don't think the attendant would lie to you on what the Captain said. After all, it was the Captain who gave the orders to bring those to 'fine young gentlemen' down, right?"

"Mm-hmm, what a smart girl you are," Mr. Rowan said, smiling. He turned to the three men, who instantly closed their mouths. "Alright, you two got the job. That will be all, thank you."

Mr. Rowan was about to shut the door when Nicole walked out. He watched as she did, a confused look on his face.

"Where are you going?" He asked. Nicole turned around smiling innocently.

"Well, I thought that if I'm going to have bodyguards, might as well put them to use!" She said. Mr. Rowan nodded.

"Yes, I know, I just want to know where you are going."

"To the deck, unless you don't want me to because you're afraid I may catch some sort of African disease."

"You're right, you're forbidden to go on the deck. Not letting my daughter catch Dane gay Fever," Mr. Rowan said. 

Nicole dropper her shoulders into a slouch, "Dad! Come on! I haven't gone out of the room since we got on!"

"I don't care, staying in here is better than being out on the deck with those ruffians in third class, or catching a fever of sorts. You'll stay right here in this room," Mr. Rowan said.

"Then what's the point of having bodyguards?" Nicole asked. 

"Oh, Oscar," another female voice said. Their attentions turned to a woman in her late thirties but still looking good, and looked like Nicole a little came up to Oscar, putting her hands on his shoulders calming him. "Let her see the ship. She made many friends while we were here. I'm sure she would like to wave them off. Besides, she is seventeen, she deserves a little more freedom."

"I knew you'd be on my side, Mother," Nicole said smiling. Her mother smiled and nodded. Mr. Rowan looked from his daughter to wife, to the bodyguards then to the floor, he sighed then nodded.

"Alright, you can go see the ship. But don't get lost. You never know what those third class ruffians may do!" Mr. Rowan said to his daughter who was walking speedily down the hall, the two bodyguards following.

Nicole turned and smiled, "That's what these two are for!"

Then turned again and walked up to the deck.

~~~On Deck~~~

Nicole fought her way to the railing, O'Connell and Vassilij close behind. Nicole searched the crowd on deck for her friends, she found them and waved. She yelled to them, "Bye, Ardy! Bye Johnny! Bye Evy!!"

O'Connell and Vassilij looked at the crowd of people, Vassilij hit O'Connell lightly to get his attention. O'Connell looked over at him. Vassilij pointed to the far end of the crowd, "Check it out, it's Uncle Nikolai, and Mother Brenda! I wonder where Abbot Dan is?"

O'Connell looked at Nikolai and Mother Brenda. "Me too."

They looked over the crowd, hoping to see him, but they didn't. As the passed Brenda and Nikolai O'Connell thought he saw tears running down Brenda's cheeks. He smirked, "Look, Mother Brenda's crying. I bet she misses us already!"

"Me too," Vassilij said, laughing lightly. The ship left port on it's way through the Mediterranean. The people left deck to head back to their rooms, soon only a few people were left, including O'Connell, Vassilij, and Nicole roaming the bow of the ship. She looked out at sea, smiling.

O'Connell and Vassilij just stood there, eyes narrowed from the wind blowing in their eyes. They looked out at the sea, the blue sea of the Mediterranean sea. Vassilij's eye wandered up to Nicole, O'Connell noticed this and smirked.

"Vass, honestly," O'Connell whispered. "I think she's a little out of your reach."

"Pah, yeah right, O'Connell. Like you could get her," he said. O'Connell nodded. "No way. Besides, I saw the way she looked at me. She likes me."

"Actually I find both of you attractive," Nicole said, not turning to them. The two closed their eyes a while then opened them to see her still standing at the bow, facing the sea. "But I have a boyfriend already. He's in England. So you two are out of luck, I'm afraid."

"Y-you could hear us?" Vassilij asked, stumbling a little.

"Yes, it's not that hard to hear two men talking, especially an American."

"Hey, is that an insult?" O'Connell asked.

"no, I'm just saying that you were talking loud. And It's easy to distinguish an American by their accent. It's a tad loud. An English on the other hand is more quiet and reserved, but your friend still could be heard, I have excellent hearing."

Vassilij smiled, "You think I'm English?"

"You seem to have the accent," Nicole said.

"Well, that's just from living in an Orphanage control by the English," Vassilij said. "But O'Connell grew up there with me, but he maintained his American accent." Rick nodded.

Nicole smiled out at the sea, "Yes, that's nice. Oh look!! Dolphins! I didn't know they came out here!"

O'Connell and Vassilij looked out towards the sea where Nicole pointed. O'Connell and Vassilij saw the pack of dolphins swimming. It brought smiles to their faces. 

"That's cool," Vassilij said. Watching the dolphins jump in the air and do tricks. It looked as though they smiled at them.

"Yeah, it is," O'Connell said. 

"I never knew boys who enjoyed looking at dolphins," Nicole said. O'Connell and Vassilij immediately averted the gaze from the dolphins to the deck. Nicole laughed lightly. "It's alright, nice to know that my bodyguards have hearts. I hope you don't lose them."

They merely nodded. Nicole smiled, these two seemed so easy to intimidate! She stepped of the rail and walked toward the door leading to the cabins. "Come on, boys. It's time for dinner. Come on, I don't want to be late."

The two friends hurried to her side. As she walked through the door, the two friends walked into the wall and fell back.

"Ow…" the said at the same time.

~~~At Dinner~~~

The Rowans were first class passengers, so they had great clothes, great food, great dining hall, a rag tag bag playing fancy music, and great wine. Also they were the most paying passengers too, so they dined with the captain. They went into the dining hall, Mr. And Mrs. Rowan arm in arm going first then Nicole Rowan with O'Connell and Vassilij either side of her. The dining hall was big, and beautiful. A grand stair case coming from the cabin halls to the dining hall. (AN think like the 1st class dining on Titanic). A huge chandelier above the stair case. Statues of angel children, nice tables. Then you came to the center where the rag tag band played classical music, then past that was a long table near the window looking out to the sea, this was the Captain's table. And this is where the Rowans, another rich family and the Captain ate. The Captain sat at the head of the table, Mr. Rowan on his right and Mr. Earl on his left. Then next to Mr. Rowan sat his wife, then O'Connell, then Nicole, then Vassilij. On the other side sat Mr. Earl, his wife, then their nineteen year old son who gave Nicole a few glances that got Mr. Rowan a little edgy, then their two daughters, the elder near her brother, she about sixteen and their youngest, a thirteen year old. The two families sat and awaited the Captain.

Nicole looked around, trying to avoid the looks that the Earl boy was giving her. She whispered to her two body guards, "I don't like that Earl boy. He's giving me weird looks."

Vassilij and O'Connell nodded and glared at the Earl boy, which made him avoid looking their way. Mr. Rowan spoke with Mr. Earl, both having pipes in their mouths, though they weren't lit. 

"So, Mr. Earl, what are you kids names?" Mr. Rowan asked, starting a conversation. Mr. Earl smiled proudly as he introduced his children.

"This is my son, Edward the Third. I'm Edward the Second, my father was Edward the First. We're from the Fraser Shire in Scotland. Apart of the Duke of Fraser's court. Those two young ladies are my daughters, the elder is Kathryn, named after my wife's mother. And the youngest is Rachel. She's a shy one, rarely speaks, but has great manners. And this is my lovely wife, Josephine. And your children, Mr. Rowan?" Mr. Earl said, gesturing to his children when he introduced them and then to the three adolescents opposite of his family.

"oh, well, this my wife, Alexandria, and my daughter Nicole, named after my own grandmother. We're from the Rowans of the Stirlingshire, we too are members of the Duke of Stirling's court."

Mr. Earl squinted his eyes, putting on a confused face then saying, "What about those two young gentlemen?"

"Oh, they are my daughter's body guards. You never know what those third class scum mites might do for money or pleasure."

"That is a good decision, I wonder, will your daughter's body guards pose as guards for mine as well? Well, at my youngest one. Kathryn and Edward are capable of taking care of themselves, besides, Edward and Kathryn share the same interests and 'hang out' as they call it. But my youngest daughter is often alone, the other children laugh at her for her silence. I do wish she had someone to play with. There aren't many her age."

Just then the Captain came up, "My apologies for being late, dear sirs. The business of being Captain is not easy nor lazy." The Captain sat down, smiling broadly. He rubbed his hands together and said, "After a hard day of shipping off and making sure everything is in working order, I am eager for a good meal! The ship has the finest meal, the best since the Titanic! Waiter, get us our menus."

A waiter bowed and went off to fetch the menus. Mr. Rowan took out his pipe and said to the captain, "The two young men you sent to pose as bodyguards for my daughter, they seem a little raggedy."

The Captain nodded, "Yes, but they're heroes, Mr. Rowan. They saved the ship from disaster, Arabs had planted a bomb on the ship." The ladies gasped, though not their daughters. 

"A bomb?" Mrs. Earl exclaimed. "I hope it has been removed and there are no more!"

"Me, too," Mrs. Rowan said. The Captain nodded, raising his hand to calm them down.

"No need to worry, ladies, we removed it, and searched for any more, we found no more. So thanks to them, we are safe."

Mr. Earl looked over at the two body guards, "Hmm, what a strange set of heroes, one looks American and the other a Russian. But heroes none the less. I would certainly like for them to pose as body guards to my own daughter, Rachel."

The Captain smiled and nodded, "I'm sure they'd be glad to. Isn't that right boys?"

Vassilij and O'Connell were listening to the conversation and merely nodded. Then turned their attention to making sure that Edward the Third didn't dare look at Nicole again. Nicole was having a nice chat with Rachel, though it seemed a little one sided, but Rachel just smiled and nodded. (Good advice, just smile and nod, got it from my dear friend M-chan!)

~~~End Chapter~~~

Alright got that done, plZ review it! I got this chapter up later but, I want to spend much time on it to make it very dramatic. So plZ review and I hope you liked it!

Jester


	6. Edward the Third, the Rapper challenges ...

****

Road to the Legion

~~~Begin Chapter~~~

Three days had passed since Vassilij and Rick became Nicole's and Rachel's bodyguards. Over that time, Rachel and Nicole had begun a friendship and were practically inseperable, which benefited their body guards. They were half way to Italy now, and Rick and Vassilij were eagerly awaiting to get to France and start an exploration of Europe. 

But then one day while on the bow of the ship, all peace and tranquility the four friends had enjoyed vanished when Edward the First came up.

"Rachel, father wants to see you now," Edward said to his youngest sister. Rachel feared her older brother and hid behind Vassilij holding onto Nicole's hand. "NOW!"

"What does he want to see her for?" Rick asked, stepping up. Edward glared at him.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, you American scum! I'm amazed Father let you, and that dirty Russian become Rachel's bodyguards!" Edward said meanly. 

Rick had to block Vassilij from attacking Edward. He whispered to Vassilij, "Just take Rachel and Nicole to Rachel's father, I'll handle this."

Vassilij was about to protest but he saw the look in Rick's eyes that made him not protest, he nodded and walked off glaring at Edward.

"Where are you going, Nicole?" Edward said grabbing Nicole's wrist. Vassilij was just about to punch Edward when Rick beat him to it. Rick's fist collided with Ed's hand and Ed recoiled his hand, nursing the bruise. "You scum! How dare you hit me!"

"Do not touch, Nicole. Her father has ordered me to do all things to protect her, if it means kill you, then so be it!" Rick growled. Edward smirked.

"It's not a wise choice to challenge me! Rather, I turn the tables! I challenge you to a fight, no weapons, until one of us passes out, or gives up. Hell let's go for first blood!" Edward said raising his fists in pug-fighting stance. Rick got into a classic fighting stance he learned from a Chinese merchant at the village near the Abbey. Edward saw Vassilij and the others trying to leave but he ran and punched Vassilij down. "You're not going anywhere!! Nicole, you're staying! Rachel you are too, you've seen too much for me to let you go tell Father."

"Stop it, Ed!" Rachel yelled. Nicole held her back and behind her to protect her. Vassilij got up and wiped off dust from his face and clothes. He turned to Edward, glaring knives at him.

"You're lucky you chose to challenge my friend there, Ed, or I would have killed you by now for getting my new shirt and pants dirty," Vassilij growled then laughed. "But then again! You didn't say that a friend couldn't intervene!"

Vassilij charged at Edward but Rick called out to him making him stop, "Stop! He's mine!"

"C'mon Rick! You always get to fight the real bastards!" Vassilij groaned. Edward, was a little panicked but regain composure and then smirked evilly.

"If you really want to fight, then have a go at my own personal body guard, though I hardly find a use for him. He's a valuable asset to my gang though, now there's a use for the third-class idiot bunch I've rounded," Edward said giving a hand signal to the deck. Then a group of about twenty third-class passenger boys all in the ages of 15 to 17 came down, hard looks on their faces. "Bernard, get your ass over here, you get to fight somebody!"

A big 17 year-old stepped up, he was very tall at 6'5" and hard brown eyes. He had muscles from working in the factories, and lifting heavy iron in the junk yard and eating very well for a poor boy. He grinned evilly a tiny Vassilij and towered over him. Vassilij just kept his glare at Edward.

"Hello, little boy!" Bernard said in a Greek accent. "You will be a mere piece of gum on the bottom of my torn boot when I'm finished with you!"

Bernard lunged at Vassilij with a large fist but Vassilij ducked and rolled over and kicked at Bernard's legs. Bernard fell over from stumbling and tripping over Vassilij's legs. Vassilij shot up and waited.

"Get up! Don't tell me your defeated by a mere fall!" Vassilij growled. "Such an idiotic boy you are!! Size doesn't matter to me, with stealth and agility one can win any physical battle!"

"You saying I have no stelth and agilty?" The Greek growled. "I will show you power! You will die!"

Bernard got up and punch Vassilij hard in the stomach. Vassilij had the air knocked out of him and stumbled back. Rick ran to his side.

"Vass! Are you alright?" Rick asked urgently. Vassilij grinned.

"Just fine," he wheezed. "The got knocked out of me is all."

"Hahaha! Well, well, it looks like we got a really David and Jonathan here boys! C'mon you two, stop loving each other and fight! You, American scum, you will fight me! Or are you to scared to fight me?" Edward spat mockingly. Rick glared at Bernard and Edward and helped his best friend up.

"You take, the big Greek, I'll deal with Edward," Rick said. "Be more careful, we don't need to add insult to injury until they're too weak to fight back. I can tell they're worthy challengers."

"You're of course, alright, let's do this," Vassilij whispered back. 

Edward put a hand to his ear, "What's that you said, American? You love him? Oh, isn't that sweet, we got a pair of lovers here boys!"

Edward laughed, his gang laughed as well. Rick spat at Edward and said to himself, "Such a fool, to only push my anger."

"C'mon you American bugger, I'll knock you senseless and feed you to the fishes!" Edward said. Rick just walked calmly around Edward, he had so many spots open! What idiot would do that! But the spot could easily be blocked if he wasn't quick enough and Edward wasn't thick enough to not know where he was going. Rick then decided for an easy spot and ran up faked a punch to the eye, which Edward block his eyes immediately, then kicked at the legs and knees, soon Edward was on the ground his legs spread then Rick kicked the soft spot! Edward howled in pain, but through his howling he yelled, "Get him! Get him you fools! Make him pay for doing this to m!! Kill him!!"

"Edward stop!!" Rachel said again now crying a bit. Nicole held her back.

"Sh, Rachel, we'll go get our fathers!" Nicole said, waiting first to sooth Rachel.

Two of Edward's men pulled him from the fray. The half of the gang piled on Rick while the other half piled on Vassilij. Edward saw Nicole, defenseless. He was quick to make his move. He ran over to Nicole and pulled Rachel from her harshly by the hair. Rachel closed her eyes in pain as tears swelled in her eyes, but she did not cry out she was tossed aside while Edward looked lustily at Nicole.

"You're mine, wench!" Edward grabbed at Nicole's dress strings and pulled them loose. Nicole protested and started to beat him on the chest but it was no good. Edward started to yank hardly at the dress, yanking it down. "I'm gonna fuck you up!"

Nicole fought him, finally punching him back in the face. Edward recoiled, holding his eye, then Nicole tried to slip out from underneath him, but Edward grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back.

"You're not escaping my bitch! I was thinking of letting you live, but now you'll die for punching me!!" Edward said, then continued to pull the dress down, but Nicole kept beating at him. Finally Edward got fed up and yelled to his second strongest man, "Filch!! Get your ass over here and hold this bitch still for me will ya??"

Filch, a tall big 19-year-old who was beating up Rick came over. Rick saw what Edward was doing to Nicole. His eyes widened at he fought more, now without Filch berating him, he punch and kicked the boys in the stomachs and faces, making them fall back. He ran over to Edward and punched him off of Nicole. Edward punched him back and yelled, "Bernard! Get over here and take care of this ass!"

Bernard got up from nursing his nose which Vassilij had kicked and walked over to Rick. Rick tried to punch Bernard in his big stomach but Bernard didn't feel it and he grabbed Rick in a body lock and crushed him on top of Vassilij.

"Man…this guy is…HUGE!" Rick wheezed to Vassilij.

"I…know!" Vassilij said back.

"Ed'sss….raping….N-Nicole!" Rick said. Vassilij's eyes widened. "We have to help her!"

"Alright, then, one loud battle cry!" Vass said.

"Eulaliaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" they yelled together and knocked the big Greek off of them and started to fight the crowd. Spirited by the ancestors of the Celts that ran in their veins (AN Vassilij is MOSTLY Russian but he has SOME Celtic blood as does Rick) crying out 'Eulalia' the Celtic word for Victory. (AN That's also used by the Badger Lords in the Redwall series by Brian Jacques, I don't own that either.) The fought against the gang, which were mostly thin under weight boys, but some did put up a struggle. Finally they reached Edward who was almost finished getting off the top part of Nicole's dress. Together they said in a deadly voice, "Ed!"

Edward looked up and to his surprise he saw the two friends who threw a punch at him at the same time.

"You take Edward, Vass, I'll get this guy off of Nicole," Rick said. Vassilij shook his head.

"No, we'll do this together!" Vassilij said, glaring at Edward who was unconscious on the ground. "Besides he's unconscious!"

"Alright then!" Rick said then they both clobbered Filch. Then Edward got up and knocked them down on Nicole, Rick and Vassilij both kickout at his legs and he fell back onto a metal stump used to tie the ropes on. The blow knocked him unconscious again and his head began to bleed. Rick and Vassilij were both panting when they looked over at Nicole, who had a look of pure fear and devastation on her face. 

"Are you alright?" They asked simultaneously. Nicole's body shook and she shook her head no, tears welling in her eyes at the horror of the cruel world, and yet gladness that she had not lost her innocence to a lowlife bastard.

Just then she realized something, still laying on the ground, still partly undressed, she mumbled, "Where's Rachel?"

Just then the door flew open and Mr. Rowan and Mr. Earl stormed out, Rachel on their heels. Mr. Rowan saw the bunch of third-class boys lying the ground, groaning in pain. Mr. Earl saw his son lying on the ground, not moving and bleeding from the head. Then Mr. Rowan saw his worst fear…

There on the ground was a partially undressed Nicole, his only daughter, and the two body guards, panting and exhausted. 'but from what?' thought Mr. Rowan.

"What the hell is this?!" Mr. Rowan roared at the two boys.

~~~End Chapter~~~

Okay this one was short, but intense do you think?? I hope you liked it! PlZ review!! PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ!!

Jester

PS thanks for all your reviews Queen Brunette! Your story Mon Beau Orange kicks total ass!!


	7. No Crime Comitted! But Still Begin Punis...

****

Road to the Legion

Rick and Vassilij jumped when they heard Mr. Rowan shout 'What the hell is this'? They realized the very bad position they were in with Nicole between them. They jumped up, despite the pain from where they were punched and kicked and jumped on.

"Mr. Rowan, it's not what you think!" Rick said, his hands up, Vassilij had his up too. 

"Honestly, Mr. Rowan," Vassilij said. "We didn't do anything bad."

A coughing averted their attention to Edward the Second helping his son, Edward the Third up. Edward III pointed an accusing finger at the two friends and coughed and said weakly-weakly from acting and from real life for he did get quite the beating- "Them-Father, they, they were trying to rape, Nicole…I tried to stop them, honest to God I did…but they ganged up on me and had help from their third class scumbag friends. I fought as valiantly and tough as I could, but there were too many!"

Edward II patted his son's back and said, "It's alright, Ed. We'll deal with them. Rachel, help your brother to his cabin, now."

Rachel feared her father quite considerably and only nodded and helped her 'brother'-though after today she would disown him-to his cabin. Mr. Rowan looked back at the two friends.

"You tried to rape me daughter?! I knew I shouldn't have trusted an American and a Russian! Security! Captain!" Mr. Rowan yelled. The Captain was in the Captain's Cabin when he heard the yell for the Captain and came out to the balcony. He looked down at the scene on the bow and gaped. His old face a look of confusion and worry.

"What has happened?" He asked, his blues eyes demanding.

"Come down here, and I'll tell you. I'd rather not tell you while you're up there. When you come down, bring some ship's crew! Are there any law officers on board?" Mr. Rowan asked. The Captain clearly nodded. "Good! Bring them too!"

The Captain nodded and went off to get three crew members, and the two law officers. Mr. Rowan turned back to the two friends. 

"I will make sure you two never get on another ship again!" Mr. Rowan said. Edward the Second stepped up.

"I will make sure you never set foot in England! Ever! You have chosen the wrong family to beat up on! Where is the Captain with the crew members and law officers?!" Edward II said frustrated. 

"We are here, Mr. Earl, what seems to be the problem?" The Captain asked. Mr. Earl pointed to Rick and Vassilij.

"These two heathens attacked my son!" Mr. Earl accused. Mr. Rowan stepped up gesturing to the two boys.

"And his son was defending Nicole, whom they were trying to rape!" Mr. Rowan said. "I demand they be thrown off the ship! For what they have done, they should be punished!"

"Calm down, Mr. Rowan," one of the officers said in an Irish accent, calming Mr. Rowan. "We'll do what we can."

"Is what this man said true?" the other officer asked Nicole.

"OF COURSE IT IS!! MY SON HAS NEVER LIED TO ME!!" Mr. Earl yelled, his round head red with anger. "I DEMAND THEY PUT IN JAIL OR SOMETHING FOR INJURING MY SON!!"

"Officer, we have to have eye witness accounts," one of the officers said. Mr. Earl and Mr. Rowan grabbed the two officers and walked away a bit to speak privately.

"Listen officer, if you do not punish these two for their crimes I will personally makes sure you can't arrest anyone or have any job ever again!" Mr. Earl hissed. The officers looked at each other, not sure what to do.

"I'll make sure you have no jobs in any country!" Mr. Rowan hissed. The officers couldn't back down, they had little wage as it was and they had families to keep alive. They merely nodded and accepted the offer. They walked back over to the two boys and the Captain.

"Nicole, go to the cabin now," Mr. Rowan said.

"But Father, you need to hear my side of the story," Nicole protested.

"GO NOW, NICOLE! I'm not letting you stay another moment with these two heathens," Mr. Rowan said, holding his pipe from his mouth. He pointed to one of the officers. "Will you please escort my daughter safely to the cabin then return immediately?"

"Yes, sir, Mr. Rowan," the officer said in a Scottish accent and did as he was bid. Mr. Rowan and Mr. Earl just stood there in front of the two friends glaring at them.

"Captain, I swear, we didn't do anything but try to help Nicole. Edward was trying to rape her-" O'Connell started.

"SILENCE!! You filthy liar! You will be punished immediately after the other officer gets back!" Mr. Earl said, his round face a deep, deep shade of red, he almost looked like a tomato. A few minutes of silence was upon the six men then broken as the other officer came back. "Now I want them put away! Done with! I don't want to see them, not even in the third class parts of the decks! Is that clear?!"

The officers nodded.

"Well? Aren't you going to handcuff them?!" Mr. Rowan shouted angrily. The officers jumped a bit and nodded and handcuffed them. The two friends were outraged, they had done nothing! Y'hear me?? NOTHING!!

"But we didn't do anything!" Vassilij protested. "WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!"

"WE DIDN'T!! YOU TWO BETTER BE CAREFUL!" Rick pointed at Mr. Rowan and Mr. Earl. "BUT YOUR SON BETTER BE PROTECTED DAY AND NIGHT! WHEN WE GET OUT, HE'S GONNA WISH HE WAS NEVER BORN!"

"That is a threat! Write that down! We'll charge them with that as well!" Mr. Earl said, Mr. Rowan nodded in agreement. 

~~~Where Nicole is~~~

After Nicole was escorted to her cabin she redid her outfit and waited. Oh! She hated having to wait, she had to do something for the two boys! They were nice, and sweet and kind. She had to help them somehow. Just then the door opened a crack, Nicole shot for her father's room and got a sword he had in his cane, just in case he were mugged, now it came in use if the intruder was Edward III. But the intruder was not who she thought it was, rather it was the raper's younger sister. Rachel walked in, quite shaken from what had happened and went straight to where Nicole was. Nicole could easily see the fear that Rachel had in her dark eyes. Nicole looked at her sympathetically. She knew how shamed Rachel was for what her newly disowned brother had done. Nicole pulled Rachel into a comforting hug like a sister would give to a younger sister. No words needed, they knew they would never forget what happened, and they knew they were going to do something to help Rick and Vassilij.

~~~Where Rick and Vassilij are~~~

Rick and Vassilij didn't put up a struggle as they were led away from the Captain and the two damned biased liars. The officers stayed behind them, holding the two friend's cuffed wrists. Rick just hung his head, wondering what to do, how to get out. Vassilij kept his head low, but not as low as Rick's so he could see where he was going, though he too was thinking, not of escape but how his uncle was. At the moment he regretted leaving, yet he felt great, he felt so proud to have helped save Nicole even though no one believe he and Rick were trying to save Nicole. His uncle had told him that he would not always get credit where it was due, he had said; "Vassilij, of all the things I tell you, and I teach you I just want you to at least remember this: Life is not fair, you can not right all the wrongs in the world and you will not always get credit for what you have done. But you must not let that affect you, you must stay walking on, and you know what you have done, and that is what matters. But never walk in pride, for that will be the end of you." 

Vassilij unconsciously talked to himself, "I'll never walk in pride. I'll never demand for fairness in a world that is unfair. I'll never demand what I want. I'll never forget what you taught me, Unc."

The officer shook him. In his Scottish accent he said, "What are you talking to? The wall? Well it's not listening, you shouldn't be talking anyway."

"Oh, sorry," Vassilij said absent-mindedly, he really wasn't sorry though. Rick just smirked, his friend tended to talk to himself at times, but that's what Rick liked about Vassilij. 

They were led to a small room with a window that was under the water line. The officers handcuffed them to some bars on opposite ends of the rooms so they couldn't do anything tricky. 

"We'll feed twice a day and give you water," the Irish one said. "Since we're going to be together for a while until we reach England we might as well tell you our names. I'm Rupert McDule."

"I'm Ken Ford," the Scottish one said. Rick and Vassilij merely nodded. Then they two officers left to patrol the decks. 

Vassilij and Rick were sitting, their arms up handcuffed to the rail. Vassilij's head tilted to the side as he went into deep thought, his green-blue eyes staring at the floor, not noticing the stare that Rick gave him. Rick of course hadn't noticed he was staring at Vassilij for he, too, was in deep thought. Rick didn't know how he was going to get them out of this one. He needed help, someone to help them.

Vassilij was not on the thought of escape, no, he was thinking of how he was going to really hurt Edward III when he got out. His green eyes light with anger as he thought of what had happened earlier, he could still hear Rachel's screams for Edward III to stop, and Edward's evil laughter.

~~~End chapter~~~  


I know it was short, but I wanted to wait a bit, I want to know. DO you think Rick and Vass should be gay, then after a while they stop being gay and Rick goes away? Tell me your opinion please! And thanks for all the reviews! PlZ keep reviewing, it keeps me writing.

Jester

PS next chapter will be entitled: Help is here!


	8. HELP IS HERE!

****

Road to the Legion

As night fell on the blue sea of the Mediterranean it did so on the SS. Anne, but the people on the magnificent ship were far from sleeping and ship was alight with cabin lights. The first and Second class enjoyed formal dances and a balls and large fine dinners. While the third class enjoyed raucous loud parties with cheap whiskey and loud music, they probably enjoyed themselves the most.

But two people-who would have been classified as third-class had they not saved the ship-were not having a good time. In a solitary room with one window just at the water line were two 18 year olds, handcuffed to rails attached to the wall. Their arms were held above them as they sat. They each had a platter of food near them which they could not reach. But even if they could they would not eat the rotten fruit, even the rats stayed away from it. There was only one tin of water for them. It rested on the desk of one of the police officers. 

"Rick…hey Rick," Vassilij said weakly, his head tilted to the side and his eyes half closed.

"Whaat?" Rick slurred from tiredness, and he shifted around to get feeling back into his arms.

"Can you feel your arms?"

"Barely…" Rick shifted again to move his arms. He tried to pull himself up but his arms were too weak. "You?"

"A little. Have you got a plan to get us out of here?"

"Yes, do you?"

"Yes."

"Then why'd ya ask?"

"Why did you?"

"Uh.."

"Exactly. So, what's your plan?"

"See the bars? They're loose. So the plan is to exert enough force to tear it off. T may take a while," Rick said pulling at the bars to show that it was indeed rather loose. Vassilij nodded.

"It's a good plan. How long do you reckon it'll take?" Vassilij asked, tugging at his own bars.

"Eh, a few days perhaps," Rick replied in a not so sure voice.

"You really don't know do you?" Vassilij could tell by the uneasiness in his friend's voice. He looked at Rick, knowing the answer. Rick nodded. "I knew it."

"Well, what's your plan?"

"It was the same thing."

"Oh…." There was silence for a long time. It was broken when one of the officers came in with a another "criminal."

"I swear I didn't even touch her!!" the man said. He was smaller than Vassilij (who was slightly smaller than Rick). He wore dirty brown coveralls, a dirty shirt and boots. On his head he wore a fighter pilots hat and goggles. He was also a Negro. (any guesses as to who he is?)

"Yeah, sure, whatever! Get in there!" The officer said shoving the African into the other wall opposite of the door. Ford took out his handcuff and handcuffed the man to the rail. Then he left.

"So, whatchya in for?" Rick asked.

"Something I didn't do," came the quick, irritated reply.

"Raping a girl?" Vassilij asked.

"Uh, yeah-" the Africa said, a bit surprised that they knew.

"But some guy was really raping her, and you were trying to stop it?" Rick said like he knew the whole thing, which he did.

"Ah-" the guy said.

"Then he blamed you and the real witnesses were sent away before they could get to talk. And some round partially bald guy said his son never lied to him and had you sent here. Am I right?" Vassilij said.

"How didja know?" the man asked.

"It happened to us," Vassilij and Rick said at the same time. 

"Oh," was all the man replied.

"So what's your name?" Rick asked, shifting around again to regain feeling in his arms, and also tugging at the bars.

"Izzy, fighter pilot for her Majesty's Royal Air force, pupil of Sir Winston Havelock," the man replied. Rick and Vassilij nodded.

"So what are you doing here, if you're a fighter pilot?" Vassilij asked.

"I ran away," Izzy said. Then he took out of his overall pockets with his teeth a white feather. He spat it out. "I am also to give this to former Lieutenant Bracken. He abandoned his post in Tripoli before the Arabs took it over thirty years ago near the end of the war with the Arabs. Sir Winston Havelock hasn't forgiven the man. He's probably dead by now." 

"If it was thirty years ago I agree," Rick said, he tugged more at the bars. Just then the door swung open and a big strong looking man with hard brown eyes and thick mustache and beard stepped in and saw Rick pulling on the bars. He scowled and took out his beat stick and struck him across the face.

"Tryin' to escape are you?!" He yelled in an angry German voice. "Well, not while I'm looking after you cunts!"

All three of them scowled at the word 'cunts'. Rick had that "I'm going to kill this guy" look in his eyes. He got struck again for it.

"Don't look at me like that you stupid pig! And I am not one of the two wimpy officers! My name is Raul Ceding! I am the top officer here! I cannot believe the Capitan did not come to me for the crimes you three have done!"

"Shut-up you big idiot," Rick said. Ceding heat him again.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO SHUT-UP! I AM THE OFFICER!!" Ceding yelled, spit flying from his mouth as he spoke. "I AM THE LAW!!!"

The officer then took a seat at the desk and stared hard the three "criminals." He then averted his eyes to the rusty tin cup of water on the desk. He took it in his hand, and looked at it disdainfully. He scowled at he smelled it, it smelt awful! He then looked at the Negro who wasn't looking at him. He scowled.

"Good thing we got that nigger in here. He'd've destroyed the whole ship!" The man said. Izzy heard the comment, which would have not affected him had the man not said "nigger." He scowled and twisted and turned and lurched forward, giving the bar and good tug as he spat at the desk where the "officer" sat.

"You take that back!" Izzy shouted. This only caused the man to laugh hysterically.

"Hahahaha! Or what? Whatcha gonna do, nigger? I don't have to listen to a lowlife piece of nigger scum! You're not even human I'm bettin'! No wonder y'raped that girl! Just tryin' to pass on your dying race! Pah!! S'good we 'ave yer cuffed in here! Such niggers shouldn't be free to walk about a ship for England! I believe we should have slavery back! Hahaha! It was a time when all was right with the world! Niggers were in their right spot!" The man (if he should be called such) laughed and spat at Izzy. "You get back to that wall now! Go on! Get!" 

The man had gotten up by then and kicked Izzy back. Rick and Vassilij nodded to each other. The stretched out and put the feet together, then just as the stick (who was the officer now I'll refer to him as 'Stick') stepped back he tripped over their feet and fell, his head hitting the edge of the desk. He was knocked out in an instant. Rick and Vassilij laughed at the big Stick lying there unconscious.

"The guy deserved it," Rick said. Izzy then spat at the Stick again, and the saliva landed right in the Stick's open mouth. This caused the three new friends to laugh harder.

"Right in the hole!" Vassilij said. "Nice shot!"

"Thank you! Thank you, he had it coming to him!" Izzy replied.

"Yeah, if we gets outta here, we oughtta drag him up and throw 'im overboard!" Rick laughed. A few minutes later the laughter died down and the three chatted away. Hunger, and thirst forgotten.

An hour later the Stick came back with a start and he jumped up. He was confused at first then his senses came back to him and he scowled and went red. He shouted, "WHO WAS THAT?! WHO?!?!"

The three remained silent. The Stick got up and grabbed the rusty tin can of water and flung it at Izzy. It hit Izzy right in the head, Izzy yelped as it hit him. The Stick bellowed, "IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT?!?! ONLY YOU WOULD DO THAT, Y'FILTHY NIGGER!!!"

Vassilij was growing annoyed with this man and prepared to kick out at him when the door flung open. The Captain stormed in.

"What is the meaning of this?! I could hear you damned yells from the Captains quarters!" The Captain said. He looked at the three prisoners and Izzy who was cowering a bit, holding his head. He saw the rusty tin can near him. He turned to Rick. "What happened?!"

"He kept yelling at Izzy. He called Izzy a nigger and threw that _rusty_ tin cup of water at his head," Rick said. The Captain had enough evidence he looked to the other two prisoners for confirmation and they nodded. The Stick shook with rage though.

"THEY LIE!! It didn't go like that!" The Stick shouted, the Captain just held up his hand, silencing him.

"Officers, arrest him. Put him in another room," the Captain said. Five officers stepped forward and grabbed The Stick and carried him away. "Ken, Rupert, you two are the new Head Officers on this ship. I know you are both reliable and much kinder. Now, see to your duties everyone."

All the officers left, the Captain remained. He sat at the desk after closing the door and locking it. He set his hands on the desk, and locked his fingers, looking around at the prisoners. His blue eyes showed pity and he said, "I know that you are innocent."

Rick was about to say something when the Captain held his hand up, "Don't interrupt me, Mr. O'Connell. Let me finish. Anyway, I know you are innocent. And you are probably wondering why you are here if I know you are innocent. The reason is, the two richest men on the ship. They have threatened the officers. But don't worry, help is here. To-night we will be passing France, that is where you want to be is it not?"

Vassilij and Rick nodded.

"So I, with help of two of your friends, will come down and let you out. You," the Captain pointed to Izzy, "what is your name?"

"Izzy, s-sir," Izzy replied.

"Alright, Izzy, where do you wish to be let off?"

"France is fine with me."

"Okay, France it is," Then the Captain got up, and left.

~~End Chapter~~

Okay, soZ it took so long. I get on to write, then I go to the internet. Oh, it's so hard to not give in! I have Earth Protectors written, I just have to type it down! Okay! Oh and they will not be gay, just if they were it'd really heighten the emotional tension for near the end.

Jester

Next Chapter's title: The Escape!


	9. The Escae

****

Road to the Legion

It was the deep night, the stars had come out to play and the moon, glowing in silver, watched over them and Earth. It cast its pale moonlight onto the blue waters of the Mediterranean. 

The great ship liner SS. Anne neared the shores of France. In the solitary room that held Rick, Izzy, and Vassilij there was dead silence. All three of them did not sleep, they couldn't, their anxiety keeping them awake.

A noise from the hallway made them move back as they could. The figures were closing in on the door, the knob turned and the door slowly opened….Captain Dan came in followed by Rachel and Nicole. The Captain gave the two girls keys and they went and unlocked Izzy and Vass's handcuffs while the Captain unlocked Rick's.

"Tonight, we are passing by the shore of France, near Toulon," The Captain whispered. "I can't spare a jollyboat or life boat, we have few as it is, and we need all we can incase of an incident like Titanic."

"How far do you suspect us to be from Toulon?" Rick asked as he rubbed his wrist. The Captain shrugged.

"A few miles or so," he said. "It's a long swim, and the Mediterranean isn't warm at night."

"Right, we can make it, can't we Vass?!" Rick said. Vassilij nodded.

"Absolutely!" Vassilij said.

"Captain, my father brought on out own private jolly boats, one for each of the family member and even a few spare ones, we can use one of the spare ones, they are just located a few yards ahead of the front Life boat on the starboard," Nicole said.

"Great idea, Nicole, let's go," The Captain said as they made their way to the deck at a brisk walk. They came upon the life boats in a few minutes from arriving on deck. "Boys, help me rig this to lower it."

"Yes, sir!" Rick and Vassilij said as they helped with the ropes and rigging. In twenty minutes they had the life boat rigged to be lowered. 

"Nicole, you'll have to help here," Captain said. "Just hold that end. Rick, Vassilij, you two help lower yourselves down."

They did so and speedily. Izzy looked down waiting for the boat to hit the water. They had lowered them selves easily and speedily and gently amazingly. The Captain and Nicole brought up the ropes as the three escapees got the paddles ready for rowing.

"Be careful, friends, of sea mines. The Germans have the coasts of France wired, so be VERY careful!" The Captain said.

"You two, Captain. Thanks for you help, Nicole, Rachel and Captain," Rick said. "Sorry we couldn't stay around. And I hope you don't have any more bad instances with The Bastard."

"Don't worry about that," the Captain said. "I had him locked up earlier to-day!"

Rick smirked, "cool. Well, see you when we're dead, hopefully sooner."

The Captain and the girls waved them off as Vassilij and Rick paddled for shore.

"Do you think they'll be alright, Captain?" Rachel asked. The Captain smiled.

"The friendship those boys have, I think they can last for ages."

~~End Chapter~~

Short short, yes yes I know…been busy…

Jester


	10. Done and apologies

The vile wretched things I have done! I speak bitterness of my "friends" and expect hardy welcome each time I see them! I realize my own hypocrisy! My own stupidity! For I have become the worst friend one can possibly have! I've become just like the "friends" who abandoned my uncle! I've become one who abandons them! I've left their back open and don't even have the guts to tell them until one other finds out! May they be joyous, for I am leaving their town, and highly doubt I'll return! I've told the one who Pmed (on Wolfhome) me to do all they could to erase me from their mind! 

All I've done! I've jump into to much conclusions, and have been narrow minded! I thought I'd always try to be the best friend I could, defend them, protect them, kill those that hurt them! But lo! I've done the hurt, I've done the attack, I've done the worst! Talked behind their back! Have no pity for me! I am not the victim, they are! Have your pity to them, have your comfort reserved for them, have your friendship saved for them, and not me. I've done bad, and I suffer for it.   


For now, she is in the right, I exile myself from posting on fan fiction.net henceforth. I will drop by every now and then to see what's going on. You can catch me on Wolfhome.com as Tragic_ookami (unless she were to say that she likes it there then I will be gone from there henceforth so she has no reminder of the "friend" who spoke badly of she and her friends) and on Yahoo Instant Messenger (YIM) as TragicJesterFraserOokami. 

If I could turn back the clock and right what I've wrong, I would, but that is not done, for what is done is done, and there is no way to change it. I offer my apology to all and to her, and I don't expect you to take it, for I take not even my own, I don't forgive myself.   


Hello, good bye,   
  
You all rock, don't ever change.   


Jester Fraser

"Loose one friend, loose all friends, loose yourself"-Eric Matthews in Boy Meets World.

  



End file.
